Sep. 11, 2013
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Breaking News / Jerry Mosemak

by David Jackson and Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY

by David Jackson and Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - Russia, China, Britain, France and the U.S. - are holding a closed-door meeting Wednesday to discuss France's draft resolution on chemical weapons in Syria, according to an administration official.

The French resolution would give Syria 15 days to declare its entire stock of chemical weapons and make them immediately available for inspection before their destruction, The Times of London reports.

The administration source spoke to USA TODAY asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

Russia, which canceled a Security Council meeting original set for Tuesday, has objected to the French proposal for its inclusion of an enforcement clause.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the U.S. to remove the threat of military action off the table.

"It will function and will work out only if the U.S. and those who support it on this issue pledge to renounce the use of force, because it is difficult to make any country -- Syria or any other country in the world -- to unilaterally disarm if there is military action against it under consideration," Putin told RT.com.

The report of a Security Council meeting Wednesday was also carried by Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, CNN and NBC News. Itar-Tass and CNN quoted unidentified U.N. diplomats while NBC quoted a White House source.

The French draft includes the "enforcement provisions" of Chapter VII of the U.N. charter, making Syria's acceptance mandatory, but does not contain an explicit authorization for the use of force. The enforcement provisions include both military and non-military measures.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said at a news conference Wednesday in Paris that the resolution, based on five points, would demand that Syria "bring fully to light" its chemical weapons program.

Russia has objected to the French draft for its inclusion of the enforcement provisions.